Ricky Gervais has joked that he doesn't mind if his new programme flops.

The comedian explained that he hopes The Ricky Gervais Show will make a star of Karl Pilkington, the sound engineer who stars in the animation after appearing on Gervais's podcasts.

"Seriously, we don't care about how the show is received," Gervais told The Mirror. "Honestly, the best I can get out of this is that Karl's famous and he will hate it. That's why I'm doing it."

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He continued: "If there's something to come of this, it wouldn't be the money. It would be that Karl was harassed on the streets."

However, Gervais also revealed that he loves collaborating with Pilkington.

"I don't really have a better time career-wise or work-wise than sitting in a room with Karl and, honestly, when I wake up the first call I make is to Karl," he said. "He is like the reaction shot to my life. It's not enough for me to experience the world - I have to know what Karl thinks."

The Ricky Gervais Show begins on Friday, 23 April at 10.30pm on Channel 4.